Cronin craves a ‘huge’ night at Thomond Park

IRELAND hooker Sean Cronin says Friday night’s clash with the Barbarians at Thomond Park will be a ‘huge’ occasion for him if, as is widely expected, he receives game-time in the glamour MasterCard Trophy clash.
Limerick man Cronin, who has won two full international caps to date, has enjoyed a highly-successful season with Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finalists Connacht.
With Rory Best ruled out of Ireland’s four game end-of-season fixture programme which includes a tour to New Zealand and Australia, hooker Sean Cronin is likely to add to his haul of international appearances in the coming weeks.
The dynamic 24-year-old returns to Thomond Park this Friday night (7.45pm), a venue he is very familiar with from his playing days with Shannon and for a shorter period in the Munster Academy.
Speaking at Ireland’s team base at UL Sean Cronin said: “It (Friday) is going to be a huge night, the chance to play in front of a packed house at Thomond Park. I played a lot of my rugby there at under-age and with Shannon.
“If I am selected it will be a big night for me, for my family and everything that goes with it.
“If selected I have to try and put that to one side and prepare myself as best I can for the game.
“The training have been going extremely well. All of the guys have been pulling together really well. I think everyone involved in the squad is looking forward to these three or four games. It is all ahead of us now.
“It is going to be a tough three and a half weeks. There are a lot of guys going down here with a point to prove in terms of selection for the future. I don’t think they are going to be feeling any tiredness at the end of year.
“In terms of selection, I have to put my best foot forward and hopefully give them some headaches.”
Ireland’s starting XV to face the Barbarians this Friday night is due to be revealed at lunch-time today.
Former Ardscoil Ris star Cronin said he was happy with his move to Connacht 18 months ago where he has been able to get more regular first team action. But he is not ruling out the possibility of a return to his native Munster should the opportunity arise.
“It reached a stage where I had to sit down and weigh up my options, to be honest. Deccie (Kidney) was coaching Munster at the time and I had a good chat with him,” Sean Cronin said.
“We looked at what the best option for me would be. There was a lot of competition in Munster at the time. They were going extremely well, winning Heineken Cups and stuff.
“I had to be honest with myself.
“I am happy that I made the decision to go to Connacht. It has worked out reasonably well.
“Munster is close to my heart. I was in the academy here and I got a few caps with the senior squad.
“The fellows I was in the Munster Academy with here are pushing on into the senior squad, the likes of Tommy O’Donnell, Dave Ryan, Duncan Williams and Billy Holland.
“Obviously from seeing them play on TV down here and at Thomond Park, it is both good to watch and hard to watch. I would never say never about coming back here anyway.”
Two Munster players have been included in the Barbarians side to face the Ireland XV in Friday night’s game.
Paul Warwick will line out at full-back while flanker Alan Quinlan will team up with Wallaby legend George Smith and Cardiff Blues number eight Xavier Rush in a powerful looking back-row. Kiwi Xavier Rush will also captain the side.
Paul warwick (Munster); Cedric Heymans (Toulouse), Casey Laulala (Cardiff Blues), Seru Rabeni (Leeds Carnegie), David Smith (Hurricanes); Brock James (Clermont Auvergne), Pierre Mignoni (Toulon); David Barnes (Bath Rugby), Schalk Brits (Saracens); Census Johnston (Toulouse); Jerome Thion (Biarritz), Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster); Alan Quinlan (Munster), George Smith (Brumbies), Xavier Rush (Cardiff Blues) (Capt).
Replacements: Julian White (Leicester), Benoit August (Biarritz), Rodney So’oialo (Hurricanes), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Byron Kelleher (Toulouse), Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde (Toulouse), Paul Sackey (Wasps), Fabrice Estebanez (Brive).

COLM KINSELLA